Students are still lagging behind in certain areas, three years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Fairfax County, Virginia, school counselor Shari Winston.
She’s worked with kids for a long time, recently switching from high school counselor to working with elementary school kids.
“Kids in general, whether it’s high school or here, are just socio-emotionally a year-plus behind where we are used to,” Winston said. “Students acting out if they don’t get their way, they don’t know how to express themselves.”
She said all the work school counselors and mental health professionals had done before the pandemic, or in years leading up, is having to be recreated or retaught to kids. Winston said even with the regression, there are hopeful signs of kids trying to help each other.
“Telling their friend, ‘hey, I think you need to go talk to someone, why don’t we go talk to Miss Winston?'”
She said she knows she’s making a difference when kids do that, or jockey to sit with her at lunch.
“That’s something that’s really fulfilling, like, I may have helped one student and then it’s sort of like a telephone game or maybe that other student is having a concern or an issue that they have a trusted adult that they can come and talk to,” said Winston.
This is National School Counseling Week, and Winston was celebrated at her school, Shrevewood Elementary, with a special lunch. She also got a sweet note from a first grader.
“It’s really nice to be recognized. And I am humbled whenever I am,” she said.